uX PINKS. 31 



them with very thin mats till the sun is gone from them : if put to a 

 north aspect, and some of the pips not quite blown out, they will be 

 chilled and never open free. Remember I do not keep them too warm 

 when in this situation, neither let the cold nights chill them. If 

 auriculas have too much water they will become sickly and turn yellow, 

 which was the case with four or five of mine last spring in letting 

 them have too much rain. The compost must be rich, light, and 

 sweet, and when you are potting your plants never press the mould too 

 hard about the roots, nor on any consideration over pot them, as this 

 family of plants, like many others, will not thrive well until the roots 

 touch the pot. 



Before I changed my compost I lost from ten to fifteen plants every 

 year, but for the last three years I have been very successful and 

 only lost one, Taylor's Ploughboy,— which by some neglect the 

 old soil had not been removed from it, and had diseased the 

 plant in the trunk, just under the surface. About the latter end o 1 " 

 May, when the bloom is over, I remove them to their summer situa- 

 tion, which is shady, as they thrive better in the shade in the summer 

 months, until the end of September, but by no means under the 

 droppings of trees. Observe, I take off all the offsets when I top- 

 dress them, which I consider the best time, as the auricula at this 

 season (February) makes considerable progress, and whether the 

 offsets hav? roots or not I take them off, provided they are large 

 enough. I plant four offsets in pots called forty-eights, in which they 

 will take root very freely, not letting them have too much sun ; in 

 about two months they will be fit to pot off in the same size pot above 

 named. 



I herewith send you some new varieties of seedling auriculas of 

 my own rearing, which I trust will be found worthy of your notice. 



If the lovers of auriculas should like any of No. 1, 2, and 3, they 

 can be obtained by taking the three varieties at 18s. 6d. per plant, 

 on application, post-paid. 



Plants will be ready to send out in August next. I beg to state that 

 the above sorts are free growers, and most excellent trussers, from 

 fifteen to twenty-two pipps. 



[The blooms were so damaged in conveying as to prevent us taking 

 any drawing of them. — Conductor.] 



(Continued from page 10.) 

 ARTICLE VIII.— ON THE CULTURE OF PINKS. 



BY A PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



Be not impatient about your suckers taking root ; but if by the tenth 

 or twelfth of September, you see that nature has not had strength 

 enough to operate in them, put your puis into hotbeds, and be careful 

 to cover them with glass-bells. 



